Can't believe I didn't see that one before - I mean it's the second result Anyway 4.6mm equates to 3/16th, right? And 3/16th I have and they don't fit. Just ran the caliper over them again and they're 4.8mm, so 0.2mm larger diameter than pardo.net's measure, that doesn't seem enough to prevent the thread even starting. Pardo's approximate thread pitch measure is very fine. The only thread it matches is ME which doesn't seem right. There are so few threads and they're so small that taking a measurement with any sort of accuracy would require special tools. Microscope comes to mind. I emailed Peter Underwood. He suggested the threads may be the same as bottom bracket oilers. I've tried a BB oiler in the hub and it does thread in a few turns, anyone know what spec BB oilers are?

[quote="RobertFrith"I emailed Peter Underwood. He suggested the threads may be the same as bottom bracket oilers. I've tried a BB oiler in the hub and it does thread in a few turns, anyone know what spec BB oilers are?[/quote]Without checking I can't give you the specs but Bottom bracket oilers came in at least three different sizes. If he meant the 'normal' flip top type then I can tell now they don't fit as I have tried this Most Tecalimit (sp?) types are also too big as well as they were normally meant for headsets.However, in the end I did find a small Tecalimit nipple that fitted my rear Harden hub in my spares box (I think it came off an old wrecked hub of another make) but only one. The front hub has to make do with a blanking plug.Have you tried pinching a grease nipple off an old Sturmey Hub?CheersRichard

Clydesdale Scot wrote:if you have a grease nipple which is very, very close, is it possible to retap the thread on the hub to suit?

I suppose you could. I have two in complete wheels with missing nipples though so that'd mean dismantling the wheels. Wouldn't it??

Following communication with someone selling some bacon slicers (sans nipples) on a popular auction site I bought some 2BA nipples. They look identical to the one existing one I have and they fit and screw in a couple of turns but not all the way. They didn't come with the tiny fat washers that my original has though. I suppose with those they'd be pretty good. Only thing I've found that fits at all.

Oh yeah, the bacon slicers were in Perth too, I could have picked them up if I remembered to bid! The pair went for $135 I think, which considering they were in good nick seemed reasonable. Oh well...

I still have a few things to do on the Rotrax but I've been riding it a around a bit lately. I was up early this AM, conditions were cloudy (and thus perfick for photographing bikes), couldn't resist the opportunity. There's nothing very purist about this resto. It's a coastie for starters, the rims are modern H+Son TB14s with Conti 4000s. Reynolds domed topped seat posts are in short supply so there's a modern post hiding behind the Rapha toolbag. Seat post binder bolt is wrong I think. The head badge is taped on as per earlier suggestions. Have yet to put dummy rivet heads in place. Still it rides (and stops) quite beautifully, and nothing evil has been done to the frame. Big thanks to silverlight who sold me the frame in the first place and to all who've made helpful contributions. Seriously could not have done it without help!